A method of monitoring the vicinity of a vehicle, using a video recording unit that includes a stereo camera for recording three-dimensional images, is discussed in the publication IEEE Intelligent Vehicles Symposium, October 2000, “Real-Time Stereo Vision for Urban Traffic Scene Understanding”, U. Franke. Evaluating the recorded traffic scene, may allow determination of the position, for example, of additional vehicles, people, or objects in the vicinity of the vehicle. Based on this information, a controller may be used to manipulate the vehicle's longitudinal and/or transverse control, supporting the driver in driving the vehicle and improving driving comfort and traffic safety. If a collision is imminent, for example, an automatic avoidance or braking maneuver may avoid the collision or at least reduce the collision energy.
A method of monitoring the vicinity of a vehicle, using a radar unit, a lidar unit or using ultrasound sensors, is also referred to in other systems. The use of a high-precision satellite positioning system (DGPS/INS) has also been discussed to monitor the vicinity of a vehicle.
The use of a video sensor system, in particular, a stereo camera, to monitor the scene of a passenger seat in a motor vehicle, is discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,983,147. Evaluation of the recorded scene helps determine whether the passenger seat is occupied. Establishing that the passenger seat is occupied, may allow for determination of whether it is occupied by a large person (adult) or a small person (child) or a different object. Based on the information thus obtained, the deployment of a passenger air bag may be influenced. The deployment of an air bag may present considerable risk of injury, particular to small people due to their relatively close proximity to the air bag as the air bag inflates. The method discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,983,147 may be used to decide whether to prevent the deployment of the passenger air bag or to cause it to be only partially deployed in the event of an accident, by detecting a head/chest area of a passenger in the air bag inflation region.
Methods of influencing active vehicle safety systems, for example, steering, brake, gas, and similar systems, by monitoring the vicinity of a vehicle, as well as methods of influencing passive safety systems, for example, air bags, seatbelt tighteners and similar systems, by monitoring the vehicle interior, are therefore referred to in other systems. Undesirable interactions occur between these active and passive safety functions. For example, active braking prior to an imminent collision may propel the occupants of the vehicle forward, due to mass inertia, which may place the head/chest area of the vehicle occupants in the air bag inflation region. In extreme situations, this may even increase the danger to the vehicle occupants caused by the active braking maneuver.